Secure your future by voting Nov. 8
It is time for millennials to bring their angry social media rants to an end and actually make their impact in this election by exercising their right to vote. We have the impact to affect the direction the United States of America is heading for the next four years.
Many people vote without thinking about us college students. On the statewide ballot for these elections, there will be many issues that specifically affect millennials, such as student loans, and educational and administration policies. millennials should not put their fate in other people’s hands.
In 2012, young people did not go out and vote in large numbers. Only 38 percent of those 18 to 24 year old’s and 49.5 percent 25 to 44 voted, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Compare that to 63.4 percent between 45 and 64 and 69.7 percent of those 65 years old and up.
College students may soon be getting jobs, buying property, starting families or launching businesses. By voting, you are taking control of your own future and not letting someone else make important decisions for you.
The policies you vote for can have a huge effect on life after college. Keep that in mind next month.
A presidential election is won by how many electoral votes a candidate gets. As millennials, we get to vote in greater numbers this time around, which could have a serious impact in these elections.
According to the Pew Research Center, an estimated 69.2 million millennials (those who are 18 to 35 in 2016) are eligible to vote, almost equaling the 69.7 million baby boomers (ages 52 to 70) as the largest eligible generation. Each generation consists of roughly 31 percent of the voting population and both are bigger than the middle-aged Generation X.
As a diverse campus, students at California State University, Dominguez Hills, should consider it their duty to vote. Do it for your ancestors, many of whom did not have a right to vote in this country. Our ancestors and veterans fought for our right to vote as men, and women, as well as minorities. It is our honor to do what they fought for. It would be disrespectful and a waste of their sacrifices and efforts not to vote.
If we do not vote, the winner of the election could have a substantial impact in our lives over the next four years. It will be our fault, and we can only blame ourselves if the world does not go in the direction that benefits us, so do your part and register to vote.
Register to vote by Oct. 24, and show up on Election Day, Nov. 8, to secure your future.